Clemson Football Recruiting: Taye Barber offer breakdown
The Clemson football coaching staff has been busy on the recruiting trail since the beginning of the spring evaluation period. Today I will be breaking down the offer of 2018 athlete Taye Barber.
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The Tigers have ventured into the state of Texas yet again during the 2018 recruiting cycle. Barber hails from Cypress Springs High School in Cypress Texas, the same school as fellow Clemson target Leon O’Neal Jr.
Strengths:
Barber may be undersized at 5-foot-9, but, he surely doesn’t play like it. He is a prime example of a kid who can simply play ball. Barber plays, quarterback, running back, wide receiver and safety for his high school. There is a certain element of Tyrann Mathieu to his game, because of his small stature and his uncanny playmaking ability.
I believe Barber translates best as a defensive back at the next level, though he will need to clean up his open field tackling.
- Versatility
- Ball skills
- Football IQ
Weaknesses:
Obviously Barber is not the biggest player in the world, but, that is not something that he can control. Barber’s biggest weakness will be tackling early on in his college career. While he is not a bad tackler by any means, he must become more consistent.
Should Barber play wide receiver in college, he will experience somewhat of a learning curve being as though he has not learned the nuances of the position. Barber’s transition to college would be similar to current Clemson wide out, Ray-Ray McCloud, who was a high school running back.
- Consistent tackling
- Lack of position specific training
- Size
Outlook:
Barber’s list of current offers includes a host of programs from the midwest, which is no surprise considering he is from the Lone Star state. Clemson is not afraid to trek into Texas for recruits as evident in the number of prospects they are in the mix for from the state.
Barber is a good fit at Clemson regardless what side of the ball he decides to play on. The Tigers could use him as a slot receiver or as a defensive back. While he plays safety at the moment, I would expect Clemson to use Barber as a nickel back similar to Ryan Carter.
Next: Trayvon Mullen Primed For Breakout Season in 2017